What is Christmas?
by JeiC
Summary: What are the things that makes Christmas so special?
1. 1 Chestnut

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts…Square Enix and Disney do. I just have an overactive imagination and write silly stories.  
Warnings: yaoi implications

**What is Christmas?  
Chapter 1**

by JeiC

* * *

"What does a chestnut have to do with Christmas?" a voice from behind me, one that I wasn't expecting, idly asks. 

Turning, I make sure I heard the right person. Geez, why did Sora have to go and fall asleep on me? Returning to the decorations I had in my hands, I reply evenly, not entirely certain that I wanted to have my back to the blond, but trying to appear unaffected, "I'm honestly not certain. Maybe they're special decorations for Chip and Dale." How should I know? On Destiny Islands, we didn't do much for Christmas. Mostly we decorated the palm trees in the town and put up a few other decorations, but a lot of what Sora and I had been shifting through at Disney Castle was unfamiliar to us.

The snow outside was equally as unfamiliar to us though Kairi seemed to be enjoying herself once she had been given clothing appropriate for the cold weather. I'm still not sure how Sora managed to survive in the Land of Dragons prior wearing what might as well have amounted to a t-shirt and shorts.

Sure we've seen pictures of things from the colder climates, put up fake pine trees in our homes, decorated with garland and lights, ornaments were common, but some of this…well, I was about to call for someone to give us a clue.

Obviously that wasn't happening with Roxas in the room, but if he wants to help, I'm not about to stop him. If he wants to fight, well…it's going to get very messy very quickly.

"You're no help. I thought you were suppose to know everything," the boy with windswept spikes tosses back a moment later.

Shaking my head, I turn around to face him, not overly content with having my back to the blond anymore. Putting the box I was working on in front of me, I keep fishing through, trying to figure out what everything was so I could determine to which room this was suppose to go. "I'll be the first to admit that there are a lot of things that I don't know."

Sora, Kairi, and myself had come here for some holiday that they call Thanksgiving and we were staying through until the New Year. It was a lot of time off from school, but for all of us, it didn't seem like all that much in comparison to when we were on our previous journeys. Besides, I made sure that we all got homework assignments and whatnot through the period we'd be out before we left, much to the other two's dislike.

Taking a moment to look up, it was still odd to see the blond dressed in Sora's clothes. Then again, it was even weirder to see Sora and Kairi trying to wear my clothes at one point when they had to change up yesterday after getting soaked in a snowball fight. I'm not sure why my friends insisted on borrowing my stuff when each of them had clean clothes. Everything was so horribly oversized on both of them.

As the silence stretched between us, I voice the question I've been wanting very much to ask, "What are you doing here, Roxas?" If he gets caught taking over Sora's body, even occasionally, when he sleeps, there's going to be a lot of problems. It's one thing to do it with me where I can handle the situation, but the King will be less than pleased.

The blond shrugs, "Well, my other was obviously not being helpful. Thought you could use a hand trying to sort this stuff," a pause hangs in the air before he questions our current actions, "Why are we doing this anyway? Shouldn't the people of this place be decorating it?"

Pointing at Roxas, I tell him, "Blame Sora for this one. He wanted to help. He gets a little excited when it comes to Christmas." And since when is he willing to help me of all people? There's something odd about all of this, and I'm not even ready to wager a guess as to what is going through the blond's mind.

I heard him mutter something about him knowing that all too well before the silence stretches between us again. My eyes move away from him. Seeing Roxas wearing Sora's signature attire is a bit much given the feelings I have for the boy. Not that you'll ever hear me admit them aloud.

"I still don't see what chestnuts have to do with Christmas," Roxas restated, and I hid my amusement at his bewilderment of said items in his hands by holding up a big red bow to inspect. I wonder how it would look if I attached this to his hair…

* * *

Fin  
December 2007  
by JeiC  
---  
Author's notes: What happened to the angst? I really don't know. Yeah, I know, it isn't the same without being angst-ridden coming from me.  
This is going to be a continuing story from me. Hopefully I can keep up with the prompts seeing as it's not only the holiday season, but also finals are coming up hot and fast. 

For: xmas25 (LJ community)  
Prompt: Chestnut (#1)


	2. 2 Wreath

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts…Square Enix and Disney do. I just have an overactive imagination and write silly stories.  
Warnings: yaoi implications

**What is Christmas?  
Chapter 2**

by JeiC

* * *

Why am I doing this again, I wonder while standing precariously on a rickety wooden ladder. A very tall and shaky wooden ladder with only Sora at the bottom attempting to appear like he's supporting it. Even in that he's not doing a very good job.

In the high halls of the castle, we were supposed to help hang the giant wreaths and other decorations from the ceilings, and somehow, I got elected to climb the ancient equipment. I'm still not sure how my spiky-haired friend below considered my height better for the task than his ability to glide. That and I'm sure he's got a few other magic spells up his sleeves that would be better suited for this.

Tugging on the thick cords that I attached to make sure that the latches in place were secure, I glance down to see Kairi also bustling about, hanging garland and smaller wreaths at far lower levels through the hall with the assistance of a study step ladder. I'm starting to envy her.

"Hey, Sora! You ready down there?" I ask, hoping that he's finished securing the monstrous green circle of pine so that it can be hauled up here. At least he could've done that much instead of staring out at the courtyard where snow was gently falling.

"Almost there, Riku!" sounds from below. Great, just great. This is where I actually want to have Roxas around to help. I'm pretty sure my best friend's other wouldn't wander off in daydreams quite so easily.

"A-hyuck! Kairi, I brought you more wreath's like you asked," Goofy wanders in with an armload that blocks his vision. Oh, this is bad, this is going to be very bad in a second…I can just feel it.

"Okay, Riku! All set!" Finally. Gripping the rope tightly, I begin pulling the massive wreath up. We figured the easiest way would be to toss the rope up and over the beam since the thing probably weighed quite a bit more than I did.

Not two seconds later, the ladder shakes violently as Goofy trips over one of the legs. Sora runs to try and stabilize the rickety thing, but the wreaths that the knight had been carrying hit him, knocking him over. Making one last move for relative safety, I hold onto the rope with the wreath on the other end tightly, hoping that it'll keep me anchored in place as the ladder disappears from beneath my feet.

When the motions stop, I glance down from where I'm hanging about halfway down between the floor and ceiling, seeing Kairi with her hands over her mouth in shock of what just occurred, Goofy flat on his face where my ladder had been, and Sora sitting dazed not much farther away with a couple of wreaths around his neck.

Staring at the giant wreath I'm hanging next to, I really wonder why I volunteered to do this. Donald hadn't moved from where he was snoozing in a corner.

Being near the throne room, King Mickey came out to see what all the commotion was about. "Donald!" he scolded his magician upon seeing the chaos that had occurred, "I told you to help them!"

A small argument then occurred between them before I interrupted, "Hey, guys…this wreath smells really nice and all, but could someone get me down?" I was getting tired of hanging around as well as I was losing the battle with keeping the wreath up as it had started slipping back towards the floor, gravity preferring it over me.

"Oh my gosh, Riku! I'm so sorry, I forgot you were up there," the mouse scampered over, dragging Donald with him to use combined magic to both get me into a safer position and get the wreath up where it belonged.

It's funny…I've jumped off of a very tall building blindfolded without giving it much thought before, but I think this classified as something completely different. Walking up to Sora to give him a hand up, I muss his hair and let him know that next time, he's going up on the ladder.

* * *

Fin  
December 2007  
by JeiC  
---  
Author's notes: What happened to the angst? I really don't know. Yeah, I know, it isn't the same without being angst-ridden coming from me.  
This is going to be a continuing story from me. Hopefully I can keep up with the prompts seeing as it's not only the holiday season, but also finals are coming up hot and fast.

For: xmas25 (LJ community)  
Prompt: Wreath (#2)


	3. 3 Snow

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts…Square Enix and Disney do. I just have an overactive imagination and write silly stories.  
Warnings: yaoi implications

**What is Christmas?  
Chapter 3**

by JeiC

* * *

Tugging on the sled, I enjoy the quiet of the forest outside of the castle, only the sound of my breath and the crunching of my footsteps through the snow keep me company. Though it's a little too cold for me to truly enjoy. That and everything except the evergreens appears dead around here.

Every so often, I stop to pick up a fallen branch to add to my pile of wood. I was asked not to cut down any of the trees because I'm not familiar with the forest to know which ones are okay to do so with. Doesn't bother me any, and I'm glad to be away from the chaos of decorating, though both Sora and Kairi had yet to get up when I left, but I've always been the early riser of the three of us.

Something made me look back over my shoulder, and I took in how small the castle was. Guess I wandered pretty far. The snow-covered forest is pretty, but I should be wise to keep that building within sight so I don't get lost.

Squinting, I can barely make out a dark figure heading in my direction. Whoever it is, they're still quite a distance off, but seeing as I'm farther out than I had planned on being, I try to help shorten the distance between myself and whoever seems to be trying to track me down.

In time, I can make out the weird designs of Sora's winter coat. It's still rather early for him to be up unless he got a wake up call. I know I had him and Kairi up late last night to get more of their homework done as well as some studying. They're going to hate me by the end of this trip for it, but at least they won't be painfully far behind in their schoolwork.

Something isn't right with the normally perky teen. His hood is drawn low over his face and his steps seem a lot more calculated then my spastic friend is known for…even if he's practically sleepwalking since it takes him a while to become fully alert. The shock of blond that peeks out from underneath his hood confirms my suspicions, but I wait for him to get close enough before calling him on it, "You've got some guts, Roxas."

"I made sure no one saw me. I'm not stupid," the former Nobody shoots back coldly, pulling his hood down in the relative privacy that is allotted us out here, shivering as the cold air quickly greets his warmed skin.

Raising an eyebrow, I ask the question that absolutely needed to be asked, "What are you doing out here anyway?"

Shrugging, the windswept blond puts a few branches that he had gathered on his journey onto my sled, "Just trying to figure out what my other sees in you."

Raising an eyebrow at the wording, I question, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said," is the only response I get before silence falls between us. Roxas takes the left and I take the right, continuing to gather branches for some gathering being set up around the main fireplace. I'm not sure of the details myself, but it isn't like I'm not use to doing manual labor like this. Sora sure as hell was too lazy to help with the raft.

That raft…you know, it's still in one piece. When we had finally gotten back after defeating Xemnas, we took that little raft home even though it's original purpose was to take us away from that place. I wonder what would have happened if we actually had set sail.

Looking over as I gather a few more branches, I can tell that my best friend's other is watching me and yet trying not to appear as if he was doing so. Grinning to myself, I scoop up a handful of snow while his attention is elsewhere, quickly packing it into a ball, and then launching it at the back of that blond head of his.

The face he makes is absolutely priceless and I can't help but laugh, which still somehow remains uninterrupted even as Roxas retaliates. From that point, it turns into an all out snowball fight between the two of us and I think this is the first time that I've ever heard the former Nobody laugh.

I had felt sorry for him the moment I had gotten the orders to capture Sora's other half. He was treated so coldly and I wasn't any better. If I can make up for past transgressions now and maybe get a new start to get to know this side of my best friend, then I'm willing to try. Especially since Roxas seems to be attempting it as well, but I could be reading his intentions wrong.

Eventually we're both sitting tired in the snow, still grinning from ear to ear and occasionally sending sprays of snow at each other seeing as neither of us has the motivation to make more snowballs. Soon we'll have to go back inside and I'll have to cover for the blond with windswept spikes so he can sneak back to our room. At least he won't have to worry about waking Kairi since she was given a separate room from us boys. For now…for now I can try and make up for Roxas not making that trip to the beach so long ago.

* * *

Fin  
December 2007  
by JeiC  
---  
Author's notes: What happened to the angst? I really don't know. Yeah, I know, it isn't the same without being angst-ridden coming from me.  
This is going to be a continuing story from me. Hopefully I can keep up with the prompts seeing as it's not only the holiday season, but also finals are coming up hot and fast.

For: xmas25 (LJ community)  
Prompt: Snow (#3)


	4. 4 Warmth

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts…Square Enix and Disney do. I just have an overactive imagination and write silly stories.  
Warnings: yaoi implications

**What is Christmas?  
Chapter 4**

by JeiC

* * *

Rubbing my arms as I walk down the halls back to the room, I shiver from having been soaked coming back with the wood covered in snow. The sudden storm worked in my favor to cover for Roxas, which to me is still an odd feeling to be doing.

Granted our snowball fight prior to returning hadn't helped any with my current situation, but my goal right now was to find a hot shower, some dry clothes, and then maybe look for something warm to drink. I'd normally feel guilty about dripping all over the carpeted hallways, but at this point, I can't feel much right now.

Trying to enter the room as quietly as possible, I notice a sleeping Sora, tucked away in bed as if his other's adventures outside early this morning never happened. The only real clues were the dripping coat and still somewhat coated boots by the door, as well as the damp spiky brown locks peeking out from under the covers.

Hanging my own coat up and placing my boots by the door, I head for the attached bathroom, grabbing a fresh set of dry clothes en route. Fingering the material, I'm not use to wearing such thick clothing. When I hide myself behind an Organization coat, it felt weird enough being completely covered. Even our school uniforms at least were short sleeved, though I had a horrible habit or rolling my sleeves up anyway.

Guess that's the difference, growing up in a tropical climate. The temperatures we are use to are hot, hotter, and "might as well be a puddle of goo" hot if you go outside. Those are the days you pretty much hide inside where there's an air conditioner. Needless to say, it's always warm on Destiny Islands.

Finishing up my shower, I dry off as much as possible before getting into the thick soft sweatshirt and sweatpants. Yawning as I reenter the room, I decide a short nap couldn't hurt. It's not like Sora is awake to torture right now anyway.

Closing my eyes, a few minutes later, something is curling up against me under the covers. I crack open an eye to see a mass of unruly brown hair. "Sora, what are you doing?"

"It's cold," my friend whines, curling as close to me as he possibly can, "You're warm. I feel like I've been outside all morning."

I don't have the heart right now to tell him that he technically has so I give him a cocky comeback, "So you decided to leech my body heat…"

"It's comfortable here," I barely make out of him barely coherent mumbling. I am going to have to get even with him later for torturing me like this. To the spiky-haired brunet, this is something to me that I don't think he can comprehend. It's just a really close friendship, and I have to bite down on my own thoughts. The last thing I need to do is drive him away.

Besides, I finally find some steady ground in my mind as I wrap my arms around Sora's lithe frame, there's more warmth between us than if we were still in our separate beds.

* * *

Fin  
December 2007  
by JeiC  
---  
Author's notes: What happened to the angst? I really don't know. Yeah, I know, it isn't the same without being angst-ridden coming from me.  
This is going to be a continuing story from me. Hopefully I can keep up with the prompts seeing as it's not only the holiday season, but also finals are coming up hot and fast.

For: xmas25 (LJ community)  
Prompt: Warmth (#4)


	5. 5 Gift

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts…Square Enix and Disney do. I just have an overactive imagination and write silly stories.  
Warnings: yaoi implications

**What is Christmas?  
Chapter 5**

by JeiC

* * *

Walking though the town just outside of Disney Castle, I'm almost afraid to pause to look at the decorations with all the bustling holiday shoppers about.

And to think, I can be counted amongst them, I contemplate, rolling my eyes. Gift shopping was one of my least favorite activities. I never quite knew what to get anyone. Kairi was always easier to find something for than Sora, though still difficult at best. Even though the spiky-haired brunet should be simple, I always ended up taking great pains to find something that he liked. The crown necklace he always wore and the crown chain he stopped wearing after the three fairies gave him new clothes, were things I had given him.

Though with the amount of buckles and whatnot on his outfit, he really didn't need that chain hanging off of him.

While I had a list from Queen Minnie of things that she needed, I also had my own gift shopping to take care of. I hadn't dared do it before we left Destiny Islands, though I had considered it. Sora and Kairi are too nosy for their own good sometimes. Okay, so it might be for my good in this case, but you get the idea.

Shifting the bags hanging off my arm, I do take a moment to pause in order to look behind me. I'm not sure why, but I miraculously don't get run over by the crowds at least. Slowly turning back to the direction I had been heading, I continue on my way, not quite sure what made me look back, but the sensation of being followed hasn't gone away.

A store catches my eye, and I wander towards it, with the hope that once I enter, that feeling will go away. I know the King was meeting with Donald and Goofy, and the Queen was too busy herself to come out here. Besides, any of them would have made their presence known, and as far as I know, Sora and Kairi were still busy decorating. It takes a lot to get the castle ready for the holidays apparently.

Glancing around the store, I almost feel guilty when something catches my eye that I go over to investigate. Picking up the book, I turn it over to read the back cover. By the time I'm finished with that, I still can't shake the notion that someone is following me. Glancing at the window, I spot two blonds that should know better than to be out in public like this.

I signal them, in order to get their shivering forms out of the cold and particularly off the streets where someone might recognize them. Though that is slim since the people around here don't recognize me, and that's something I'm grateful for.

Crossing my arms, I wait for them to hustle in. Namine looks guilty at having been caught while Roxas is simply trying to warm up. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you two…or your counterparts for that matter if their napping while they're working."

Rolling his eyes, Roxas shoots back, "It was just Sora napping as usual."

Raising an eyebrow, I turn to the female blonde, wanting to know her story. "Kairi knows…she wanted me to partake in the holiday festivities, and since Sora was sleeping and everyone else was busy, she let me take over for a bit."

"Next question: why are you two out here in public?" I cross my arms over my chest, holding onto the book that had caught my interest. Both of them had their hats pulled low and I don't think Kairi's other could have been more bundled up if she tried.

"It's my fault…" the girl in the lavender down coat spoke, "I wanted to see what Kairi has been telling me and Roxas said he'd come with me."

Honestly, taking a step back and looking at them from an outside perspective, they looked more like siblings. If I hadn't recognized the winter clothes that Sora and Kairi had been given, I probably would have overlooked them myself. "So you saw me and decided to follow." I never said I bought her whole story. I know how Namine can be.

Roxas just shrugged as Namine began looking around. Right…though honestly, I am not sure what to believe. Shaking my head, I turn my attention back to the book in my hands. The girl seems content enough to browse and I'm leaving the "keeping an eye on her" part to my best friend's other.

"So who are you thinking of buying that for?" said former Nobody seemed to have changed her direction back to me.

Feeling like I had been caught red-handed, I close the book and put it away quickly. "No one. It just caught my attention." Turning, I walk away, browsing the rest of the little shop that seemed to carry anything and everything.

"So what exactly is this thing called Christmas?" Namine questioned again, hot on my heels. She's a persistent little thing when she wants to be. Trust me, I lived with her for the better part of a year.

Pausing, it never really occurred to me before that neither of them had probably experienced the holiday themselves. Roxas might have had some kind of inclination from his time in Ansem the Wise's digital Twilight Town, though I'm honestly not sure how much detail went into the former Nobody's new memories. "I'm not sure how to answer that to tell you the truth. It's just something that I've known my whole life."

"To me it sounds like to just give gifts to people and get gifts," a cold and calculated response comes from the one bundled up in Sora's winter clothes.

Shaking my head, I smile as I pick up something to inspect it, "No, that's not what it is all about, though getting gifts for the people you care about is a good part of it if you want to take a materialistic perspective. But you need to get them something from your heart to show them how much you care about them, otherwise, it's just buying something for someone."

Putting the item down, I make a mental note to come back later when I'm not escorting two former Nobodies around. I know that sounded pretty soft of me, but I guess even this time of year will get to me. Not having purchased anything, I usher the two out, intentional on showing them more. The decorations and the carolers in the town square should be a good place to start. They'll be able to show them what I'm unable to say.

* * *

Fin  
December 2007  
by JeiC  
---  
Author's notes: What happened to the angst? I really don't know. Yeah, I know, it isn't the same without being angst-ridden coming from me.  
This is going to be a continuing story from me. Hopefully I can keep up with the prompts seeing as it's not only the holiday season, but also finals are coming up hot and fast.

For: xmas25 (LJ community)  
Prompt: Gift (#5)


	6. 6 Fire

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts…Square Enix and Disney do. I just have an overactive imagination and write silly stories.  
Warnings: yaoi implications

**What is Christmas?  
Chapter 6**

by JeiC

* * *

Shaking the snow out of my hair before entering further into the castle, it would have been just my luck to get caught out in another snowstorm while collecting firewood. Now that I've been shown how to figure out what I can cut, the task was given to me to begin collecting larger pieces for whatever gathering they were holding around the fireplace in the library.

Right now, me in front of a small fire like that would be nice, I contemplate, shifting from one foot to another as my feet have that weird thawing out sensation. Though it's much more uncomfortable because snow had gotten into my boots.

Unloading my sled into the compartment that was housing all of the wood, I hurry up so I can go find some place warmer.

"Oh dear, you're completely soaked," Queen Minnie came rushing over to me where I had started passing through the kitchen to get to the main hall. "The King was worried about you when the blizzard started. I'll let him know you're back, but you better go change out of those wet clothes. Come to the library when you're done."

The female mouse scurried out of the kitchen with Daisy hot on her heels. Blizzard? Is that the name for a more intense snowstorm? I suppose the name of that type of magic makes sense now if that's the case.

It was pretty rough out there with the high winds and I couldn't see much in front of me. I ended up casting a dark shield around myself and the sled, using Way to the Dawn to try and cut through the worst of it. If these storms are similar to some of the larger storms we get on the islands, then that was nothing compare to what is to come.

Glancing out into the courtyard as I passed, I watched the storm picking up in intensity. If I had been out there much longer, I wouldn't have gotten back. Not without help anyway. The view just seemed to be swirls of white…I couldn't even make out the nearby bushes.

Getting closer to my room, I cringe to myself as I can feel the cold sloshing inside of my boots. Yeah, that fireplace is sounding pretty good right about now, but it'll have to wait.

Picking up the pace, I open the door to the room I share with Sora only to find both of my friends in there with their faces glued to the window, watching the blizzard. Hope I'm using the term right. I'll have to look it up at some point.

However, the closing of the door had both of their heads whipping around to look back at me. "Riku, you're back!" Kairi immediately jumped up to try and help me out of my coat, though I'm not sure why.

"Yeah, man, we were getting worried. The King wouldn't let me go out to look for you. He said the storm was too strong," my best friend started babbling at me, pointing out the window, he continued, "We saw a light out there, was that you?"

Glancing at where he had been pointing, as useless as an effort as that was, I forgot that we had a view of outside of the castle. Kairi would have come in here because she was across the hall from us, facing the courtyard. "Probably. I had to cast a shield and use my keyblade to try and create a path," I shrug, pulling off my soaked boots, tempted to go and spill out the excess water in the sink in the bathroom, but I leave them for now.

Digging through the drawers my clothes were tucked away in, I grab something dry to wear, heading for the bathroom as the two continue to try and figure out what I did to survive out there. Opening the door once I'm finished to let the main room's heat in, I try to towel out my hair as much as possible. I keep forgetting my hat and wearing a hood is still a little uncomfortable to me after hiding behind one when I changed forms. Just brings back memories that I'm not quite ready to deal with yet.

Kairi is in not two seconds later try to help me with the task. I try to swat her away, but ever since we got back home and settled, she's had a fetish with my hair, wanting to play with it every chance she got. I never said I understood her.

"The Queen has requested my presence down by the library. I need to get down there," I use as a last resort. It's true, but I think it wouldn't matter if I took my time. Finally the second set of hands leaves my hair and I quickly run a brush through it to attempt to get it into some semblance of order.

Throwing my sneakers on, the other two are waiting for me at the door. "We're going too," Kairi announces.

"The King had asked us to wait for you to come back before we went down there," Sora admits, scratching the back of his head nervously.

Raising an eyebrow at the two, I shake my head and shoo them out of the room. On our way to the library we all pause to look out at the storm taking its hold on the courtyard. Curling up more into my thick, soft sweatshirt, I set off ahead of them, trying to ignore what I had been out in. It makes me feel cold just looking at that.

When I reach the library, with the other two not far behind, I stop dead in my tracks at the fire blazing in the giant fireplace. The others had gathered around it with steaming mugs and I could see a platter of snacks on one of the tables nearby.

Steeping forward, the greeting of the fire reaches my chilled skin before the others realize I'm there. The last couple of seats are taken by Sora and Kairi, who scurry by me to claim them, but I don't mind as I curl up on the floor, against the leg of a chair, and as close as I can, with a mug of hot apple cider. It looks like I have some of my own discoveries to make about what Christmas is.

* * *

Fin  
December 2007  
by JeiC  
---  
Author's notes: What happened to the angst? I really don't know. Yeah, I know, it isn't the same without being angst-ridden coming from me.  
This is going to be a continuing story from me. Hopefully I can keep up with the prompts seeing as it's not only the holiday season, but also finals are coming up hot and fast.

For: xmas25 (LJ community)  
Prompt: Fire (#6)


	7. 7 Reindeer

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts…Square Enix and Disney do. I just have an overactive imagination and write silly stories.  
Warnings: yaoi implications…um, maybe if you turned your head to the side and squinted

**What is Christmas?  
Chapter 7**

by JeiC

* * *

Hearing laughter from down the hall, I move over against the wall, waiting for it. A few seconds later, Sora and Kairi go running past me, both of them wearing Santa hats, though my best friend is carrying a box, but I couldn't tell what was in it as he passed as warp speeds.

What can I say? I learned that trick in school…mostly after having gotten plowed into a few times by the spiky-haired brunet. After they passed out of sight, I shrug and continue on my way to return the book I had borrowed from the library. I knew they were up to no good, but it wasn't my place to stop those two. Though I suppose it could be a little cruel of me just to leave my friends unleashed like this.

Reaching the library, I put the book back where I had found it, and start scanning the titles again. There's such a wealth of information here that isn't available on Destiny Islands. I know I could spend years just combing through these texts, but right now, my main focus was on understanding the dark power that still resides in my heart better than I currently did. I may comprehend it emotionally, but intellectually, I was still lacking. If, and this is a big if, it came down to it, I wanted it in my arsenal as a weapon.

The thought I had in mind was if I could get a grasp of it, then perhaps I could use it in conjunction with the other magic I had been learning. It might be a long shot, but it was worth looking into rather than relying solely on my instincts to drive me. I could've opened up a dark portal to get to safety when I was out in that blizzard, but I didn't want to tip my hand that I've regained that ability. It would cause unnecessary worry, and one hell of a lecture from the King that I really didn't want to hear.

It isn't that I don't respect King Mickey – I actually take any advice he gives me quite seriously, but I have my own path to walk, and sometimes, that means by learning things my own way. The royal mouse has been a good friend since we met, but I don't want to hurt him by making him think that I'm going to fall back into darkness.

Pausing in my search, I pull out a different book that catches my attention. Steadying myself on the rolling ladder in which I had been using, I open it to read the first couple of paragraphs. I shouldn't be indulging myself in fictional books at a time like this, but my curiosity won out.

Might also be the faint Christmas carols being played in the background that made me pick up the similarly themed book. I suppose a short break from my quest couldn't hurt. Searching to the point of burn out is never good, and we are supposed to be on vacation after all.

Wandering back towards the fireplace, I kick off my shoes and curl up on one of the couches near it, dragging the afghan over my legs and cracking open the book to read. The sounds of the crackling fire and the gentle music create a comfortable background to bury myself in the time old tale. Provided I read the year that it was published properly to make that assumption of course.

I burn through the text as the hours pass quietly. Apparently I become so immersed that I don't hear the door nor the giggling of my two friends before something is plopped on my head.

Glaring at them, I reach up and pull the headband off, examining the antlers protruding from it. Kairi is smart…she knows I'm going to retaliate so she stays at a distance, leaving the closest person for me to grab being Sora.

Pulling my best friend off balance over the back of the couch, I yank off his Santa hat and stick the antlers on him instead. "You make a better reindeer than I do with hair the color of yours." Smirking, I take the cap that I had confiscated and put it on, which amused our female friend to no end.

Though her attention quickly shifted. Pointing at the bay of windows, Kairi exclaimed, "Look!"

Hopefully not falling for another prank, both Sora and I turn our attention to the windows facing out of the castle. Not believing what I'm seeing, I get up and pad over and laugh when I get there. Reindeer…real reindeer are outside. I've never personally had seen them before in my life, and here a group of them were, just standing there watching us watch them.

The other two had come to join me, and at one point, we all looked at each other for the briefest of moments, but when we looked back, they were gone. Just like magic.

* * *

Fin  
December 2007  
by JeiC  
---  
Author's notes: What happened to the angst? I really don't know. Yeah, I know, it isn't the same without being angst-ridden coming from me.  
This is going to be a continuing story from me. Hopefully I can keep up with the prompts seeing as it's not only the holiday season, but also finals are coming up hot and fast.

For: xmas25 (LJ community)  
Prompt: Reindeer (#7)


	8. 8 Cookies

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts…Square Enix and Disney do. I just have an overactive imagination and write silly stories.  
Warnings: yaoi implications…um, maybe if you turned your head to the side and squinted

**What is Christmas?  
Chapter 8**

by JeiC

* * *

Setting the tray of treats aside to cool, I begin cleaning up the kitchen. The Queen had agreed to let me cook whatever I wanted to while I was here. Well, the offer had been extended to all of us, but Kairi and I knew better than to let Sora anywhere near the kitchen.

I'm afraid that I'm the reason behind all of that. It has been a holiday tradition with my family to make various treats over the month of December. Each of us would take turns making something every few days since whatever we made would be gone by the time it was the next person's turn. With three older brothers, food goes fast. Not to mention when my spiky-haired friend would come over…

For someone so small, I don't know how he can eat so much.

By the time I'm finished washing all the bowls and utensils, the cookies are cool enough to put on a tray to bring back to my room where the other two were busy with schoolwork, or at least they were when I left. Both of them had been working hard and I felt the need to reward their efforts, though this is probably about the only thing I can make that my family really likes. I know the triplets are hard to please, but even they can't stay out of the kitchen when they know I'm making them, which usually ends up with a wooden spoon or a handful of flour hitting one of them in the face. I egged one of my brother's once.

Yeah, I can get pretty nasty when I have people trying to sample them before they're finished. Even Dad got in on the antics with Kadaj and Loz. Yazoo seemed to learn quickly and would stay to watch the end result with Mom from the living room.

When the three had gone off to college, I started making other things to fill the void until they came back during winter break, but…it just wasn't the same without everyone there, and there was always so much food that I'd bring half of it to school for Sora and Kairi. Never did tell them that I made a lot of it.

I wonder what it must have been like when I was gone…what it's like now that I'm here with my friends instead of spending the holidays at home with family. Maybe I can make more for them when I get home. It won't be the same, but…

Shaking my head, I pick up the towering tray of cookies, but not before popping one into my mouth. Hey, I made them, it's only fair I get the first one. Besides, they're still warm, and warm cookies are the best.

Gingerly carrying them through the halls, I find myself staring at the door to my shared room, wondering how I'm going to get in. Attempting to balance the tray in one hand was out of the question since I couldn't find a solid point to do so with. Kicking the door lightly, I call, "Hey, guys, can one of you open the door?"

Some mumbling between the two and the door opened without a soul in sight. Okay, I'm not sure what is going on here. Putting the tray on the table where we all had our work spread out around us, I turn to find two sets of eyes peeking at me from behind the door they were holding open.

Shaking my head, I wave for them to come out. "Let me guess, Sora fell asleep again."

Trying to appear unaffected by my comment as he closed the door, Roxas didn't even answer. Namine just came back to Kairi's seat, or would it be her seat? This two people being the same person thing gets confusing after a while. Tentatively, she took one of the cookies off the tray and began nibbling on it, "These are good, where did you get them?"

By that point, Roxas was also devouring a cookie, but at a lot slower pace than his other usually does. Turning to the girl, I reply, "I made them. It's kind of a holiday tradition."

"But it isn't Christmas," the boy with the windswept spikes points out. He's right, but even Sora doesn't know what I know, otherwise he would have been over everyday, competing with my brothers on who could inhale the most.

Looking back at my notes, I respond, "It doesn't have to be. I made them because I wanted to." Granted, I had meant to share them with the other two, but in a way, I'm glad that they had decided to come out at this time. The former Nobodies got left out of a lot of things, and at this time of the year…well, I'm not sure where the rest of the thought is going.

"Kairi says thank you," Namine spoke quietly, which caused me to look up at her and raise an eyebrow. The redhead was aware while the blonde was in control?

I finally voice my question, "She knows what's going on?"

The girl that worked endlessly to chain Sora's memories back together nodded, "It's difficult to explain though."

Transferring my attention to Roxas, his attention is down in the book, but he answers anyway, "It's different for me."

Silence falls between us as we all return to our studies while snacking on the cookies I made. Occasionally Namine asks for help on her math assignment, but the spiky-haired blond simply sits there, reading the book that his brunet counterpart had been assigned for his literature class.

"Thank you for the cookies, Riku." Looking up, I blink at the boy who hadn't met my gaze. His nose still buried in that book. "I wanted to say that before Sora woke up."

Namine added her thanks as well, knowing that if Roxas leaves, then she has to as well. I almost feel like I'm living a double life with my friends and their former Nobodies, but I smile, just glad to know that they enjoyed such a small little tradition. "You're welcome."

* * *

Fin  
December 2007  
by JeiC  
---  
Author's notes: What happened to the angst? I really don't know. Yeah, I know, it isn't the same without being angst-ridden coming from me.  
This is going to be a continuing story from me. Hopefully I can keep up with the prompts seeing as it's not only the holiday season, but also finals are coming up hot and fast.

For: xmas25 (LJ community)  
Prompt: Cookies (#8)


	9. 9 Frost

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts…Square Enix and Disney do. I just have an overactive imagination and write silly stories.  
Warnings: yaoi implications

**What is Christmas?  
Chapter 9**

by JeiC

* * *

Turning when I heard the kitchen door open and close quickly, I raise an eyebrow at my friend's panicked expression. "Sora, what are you doing in here?"

Realizing he had been caught, he scratched the back of his head, looking from me to the project I had going on around me. "I, uh…I came to help!"

Rolling my eyes, I turn back to the dishes I had been washing, "Right. You do realize you don't need a coat to be in here." I had returned, only upon the King's request, to make some snacks for this evening's festivities. Okay, so really I volunteered because I felt bad that everyone was going to be happily singing around the fire, and, well…I can't sing. Returning my attention to my companion, I smirk a his guilty expression, "Let me guess, you've incurred Kairi's wrath again."

"I didn't mean to knock her snowman over!" the brunet cried, quickly hushing himself incase our female friend was hunting for him, "Look, please, please, please let me hide in here until she calms down."

Gesturing to the large table in the center where a stool sat, I return to my previous tasks. "If she comes in here and finds you, I know nothing, so you're on your own."

Suddenly I get a hyperactive and cold hug from behind, "You're the best, Riku!"

Biting down on my initial reaction, I can't filter everything, "Gah! Sora, get off of me – you're all wet. Take your coat off before you do that." Turning, I flick my own warm, wet, sudsy fingers at my friend's face. As much as I try to keep up appearances, I really didn't mind the hug as much as it also drove me up a wall. He's always been a tactile person so it's hard to tell him to stop after all these years.

He immediately does as he's told with a hurried apology, knowing that if he annoys me, I'll feed him to the lioness hunting for him. Putting the last item in the drain to dry, the spiky-haired brunet speaks again, "Is there anything I could help you with? Actually, why are you doing chores anyway instead of being outside with the rest of us?"

Blinking as I dry off my hands, I comment, "I need them clean to make more snacks for tonight."

Tilting his head to the side in confusion, his soft spikes trailing the movement before returning to their normal position sticking away from his head, my friend comments, "But Riku, you don't cook."

Oh, yeah, I forgot about that part. "Yes, I do. Where do you think those cookies came from yesterday?"

Blinking at me for a moment, it clicks, "Wait! Those are the same cookies you would bring to school for me and Kairi. You made those?!" His butt is off the stool with hands firmly planted on the table, a giant smile growing quickly.

This is bad. This is very bad. "No, Sora, I'm not making them everyday for you."

Pouting, my friend sits back down. "Seriously, man, why didn't you say before that you had made them? I know they weren't from the store 'cause trust me, I looked, but…wow."

Throwing my towel at my best friend, I comment, "It's not that impressive." Turning as the timer went off, I grab the oven mitts. I have no intention on burning myself today, thank you. Soon a tray of cookies, different from the ones I made yesterday, is resting on the cooling racks that I had placed on the table.

I turn around for a moment to get something out and no sooner had I turned back, but the automatic reflex to smack the greedy little hand away from the food kicks in. Blue eyes look at me pathetically while he clutches his injured hand.

Wielding the wooden spoon as for him to not even think of trying it again, I plop his task down in front of him, "You're going to frost them, not eat them. You can have one later with everyone else." We all know what kind of a walking disaster Sora is in the kitchen, but surely he can't screw this up. "If even one is missing, you'll be in the oven with the next batch," I threaten as I turn to put a different batch of cookies in.

Cookies: plain, simple, but can be made so many ways. The gulp behind me probably has him thinking he just went from the frying pan to the fire by hiding in here.

The rest of the afternoon passes quietly, and Kairi doesn't come my way looking for her prey. By now she should have calmed down. Probably resumed making her snowman, and holding himself back, not one cookie has gone missing to the bottomless pit known as Sora.

Sitting down before washing the dishes for the last time, I hope I made enough. Sora and I had chatted easily, which is something I missed, but I wasn't about to get in the way of him and our redheaded friend getting together. It was going to happen – anyone could see that. It was just a matter of when. Since we had come back, I had backed down on my rivalry over her with him. I just didn't have the energy to keep it up anymore even for appearance sake, and if only to get a rise out of the kid.

It was taking him a long time to frost the cookies that needed to have it, but he was trying so hard not to screw it up. Putting the cookies on two very large trays, I wait for both the spiky-haired boy to finish as well as for the last batch to cool enough. Fortunately, his task was finished before mine was ready so I instructed him to go wash the dishes.

With his back to me, I quietly got the trays in order and put plastic wrap around them for safer carrying, but not before putting two cookies aside. It didn't take long for him to finish in which once he dried off his hands, I presented him with an oven fresh cookie. The smile on his face told me that every moment of torture that I put him through today was worth it. "Thanks, Riku…and thanks for letting me frost the cookies."

Mussing his hair, I grab a tray without a word and head down the hall, knowing full well that my best friend wasn't far behind.

* * *

Fin  
December 2007  
by JeiC  
---  
Author's notes: What happened to the angst? I really don't know. Yeah, I know, it isn't the same without being angst-ridden coming from me.  
This is going to be a continuing story from me. Hopefully I can keep up with the prompts seeing as it's not only the holiday season, but also finals are coming up hot and fast.  
A little extra on this one…initially I was going to do frost as in the cold wet stuff, but someone else in the community had the same idea. That and I think I like how this turned out better than my original idea.

For: xmas25 (LJ community)  
Prompt: Frost (#9)


End file.
